A hospice chaplain/grief counselor and a pastor offer a first-hand and realistic depiction of death and dying

A Q & A with the Rev. Matt Holmes, who draws from two decades as a hospice chaplain, grief counselor, nurses’ aide, and emergency medical technician, and invites us to peer into the often-occulted dimensions of life’s endings. From bedsores to isolation to neglect to deep, desperate love, modern death’s characteristics are navigated here with insight, honesty, depth, and clarity. Following the sense of horror and humor evoked in each narrative are theopoetic and theological reflections from the Rev. Thomas R. Gaulke, PhD.

Join us as we welcome writer, narrative designer, and transmedia producer Emmett Furey to Narrative Mindworks, presenting his insightful series on the evolution of storytelling and its integral role in human development. Dive into "Narrative Evolution," an exploration that delves into how our species has harnessed the power of narrative to shape our perception of the world.

The Neuroscience of Consciousness: Humans’ subjective awareness of the world and our internal thoughts and feelings are what distinguish wakefulness from sleep or other unconscious states. A network of brain regions including the thalamus and brainstem – called the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) – function together as the command center and are fundamental prerequisites for conscious awareness. Consciousness-making activities are determined by verbal, physical and visual stimuli interacting with the ARAS.

Environmental justice has had remarkable success grabbing headlines and capturing consensus in a world full of competing local and national interests. Environmental narratives fill the headlines and have been highly successful in mobilizing diverse groups in common cause and advocacy for equitable distribution of environmental benefits, burdens, representation, and decision-making. One very powerful tool in this movement is data informed through narrative based storytelling.

The Center of Creative Works in Wynnewood, PA is doing groundbreaking work by showcasing the work of neurodivergent artists.